Device for Dispensing Carbon and/or Carbon Dioxide, Particularly for Aquariums

ABSTRACT

A device for dispensing CO 2 , that is to say carbon or carbon dioxide, which can be fitted in aquariums or containers for holding live fish, comprising a dispenser casing ( 11 ) or body, equipped with a mixing chamber ( 15 ) into which a flow of water is delivered by a pump ( 12 ) and a flow of CO 2  from an infeed duct ( 18 ). 
     The mixing chamber ( 15 ) being bordered by at least one filtering element ( 13 ) which occupies the lower half of the dispenser body ( 11 ), closed at the front by a mesh cover ( 14 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention concerns a device for dispensing CO₂, that is to saycarbon or carbon dioxide, which can be fitted in aquariums or containersholding live fish.

More specifically, the invention refers to a device for dispensingcarbon dioxide that can be combined with a pumping device for aquariums,able to guarantee and optimise the process of diffusing and dissolvingCO₂ particularly useful for the biological equilibrium of the aquariumand for its fertilisation.

This invention provides a solution for the correct distribution ofcarbon inside aquariums, guaranteeing the diffusion of the microbubblesand dissolving them in the water in a much more effective way.

The invention can be applied in particular in the industry of productsfor small pets, with particular reference to the aquarium sector.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that carbon is one of the most important elements forplants, since it allows them to build support tissues (cellulose is,essentially, a carbon skeleton) and energy reserves (starch, which is aglucose polymer, a sugar) and to have, thanks to photosynthesis, thechemical energy that makes it possible to produce enzymes, proteins andeverything else necessary for plant metabolism.

The use of CO₂ in aquariums is also chemical: it helps to stabilise thepH at values below 7, difficult to achieve with other methods, which areat the same time compatible with plant growing (such as, for example,filtration over peat) and long-lasting (like additives for lowering pHvalues).

However, the diffusion of carbon in the water of aquariums is alwaysvery limited and in order to have healthy and luxuriant plants it istherefore necessary to administer the carbon they need in an artificialform.

Carbon can be distributed in aquariums by means of various techniques,always in the gaseous state.

The most common method is to dispense amounts of carbon or carbondioxide directly in the aquarium by using CO₂ cylinders equipped withpressure .gauges, pressure reducers and special water diffusers.

According to some systems the CO₂ bubbles follow a zigzag path, from thebottom upwards. This path ends in a dome-shaped cap which holds thebubbles until they dissolve in the water, preventing them from beinglost in the atmosphere.

The disadvantages of this system consist of the fact that a period ofactivation is necessary, cleaning is difficult and there is a continuousaccumulation of CO₂ in the cap, so that at a certain point it is lost.In addition, the area close to the dispenser, and to the cap inparticular, is rich in CO₂ while the area furthest away is poor in CO₂.

In these dispensing models the CO₂ cap consists of a plastic rectangleinside which the CO₂ is accumulated and from which it inevitably escapesand is scattered on the surface.

This occurs when the mixing time of the gas with the water is greaterthan the time needed to fill the cap (area close to the cap saturatedwith carbon dioxide).

According to other distribution systems, the CO₂ bubble is forced toenter an atomiser, i.e. a system consisting of a plastic cap to bepositioned close to the bottom of the aquarium, where it has to passthrough a membrane that divides the bubble into lots of microbubbleswhich rise directly to the surface and scatter.

This atomiser model does not stand up to high pressures and the devicecannot therefore be adjusted to dispense a high number of bubbles perminute.

The Co₂ dispenser is sometimes combined with a water delivery pump, butsystems ensuring total mixing are not foreseen: the bubbles of gas arenot directly struck by the flow of water and/or the microbubbles are notheld in the mixing chamber, becoming scattered on the surface, and/orthe adjustment of the pump output is dealt with by the user who isunlikely to have the ability to optimise the mixing.

For example, in the patent DE20015086U1, a pump dispenser model, the gasoutput goes directly to a pump which is designed to reduce the bubbleinto lots of microbubbles.

In this case the majority of the bubbles struck by the pump flow scatteron the surface, without being completely mixed with the water.

In the known dispensers in which the CO₂ bubble is forced to follow azigzag path, above all those just installed and because of frictionalong the path, an “activation period” is required because the CO₂bubbleis unable to complete path and stops after a short distance.

This means that several bubbles accumulate in the same point until thebubble is so big that it slips out of the dispenser and is lost on thesurface. After a certain period of time (this is the “activation”period) a coating is created along the entire path which allows thebubble to slide along individually and easily.

There are other distribution systems, but in general their use hasrevealed considerable disadvantages, which the invention intends toremedy, mainly concerning the fact that the traditional distribution ofCO₂ is not very effective since some of the dispensed gas bubbles arenot completely mixed with the water but rise almost immediately and arelost outside the system, thus thwarting their effect.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention proposes to provide a device for dispensing CO₂ inaquariums which is able to eliminate or at least reduce the problemsdescribed above.

The invention also proposes to provide a device for dispensing CO₂inaquariums which is easy to produce in order to be economicallyadvantageous.

This is achieved by means of a CO₂ dispenser whose features aredescribed in the main claim.

The dependent claims of the CO₂ dispenser for aquariums describeadvantageous embodiments of the invention.

The main advantages of this solution, in addition to those deriving fromits construction simplicity, concern above all a better dissolving ofthe carbon in the water, due to the extremely reduced volume of the gasbubbles dispensed.

The dispenser according to the invention is the part of the CO₂ systemimmersed in the water which is designed to guarantee the mixing of theaquarium water and the CO₂.

The dispenser according to the invention substantially comprises a pumpwith a sponge prefilter, a transparent plastic dispenser body with a 20ppi sponge and a mesh cover.

Thanks to the flow of water from the pump aimed at the gas output, theCO₂ bubble is split into a number of microbubbles; and:

1) a turbulent motion is created inside the dispenser chamber,

2) the microbubbles are held inside the dispenser by the sponge,

the entire initial CO₂ bubble is completely dissolved in the water.

Moreover, thanks to the flow created by the pump, there is a continuouscycle of CO₂-poor water entering the dispenser and CO₂-rich water comingout of it, thus guaranteeing a uniform concentration of carbon dioxidein the aquarium and preventing the presence of CO₂ saturated andunsaturated areas.

The system according to the invention presents numerous importantadvantages, such as:

the carbon dioxide is dissolved 100% (maximum effectiveness);

there is no saturation of CO₂ in just one part of the aquarium, with aperfectly uniform concentration of carbon dioxide in the tank;

installation is easy and fast;

the dispenser is universal, it can be used with any CO₂ dispensingsystem such as cylinders, fermentation, etc.;

the system does not require an “activation” period.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become evident onreading the description below of one embodiment of the invention, givenas a non-binding example, with the help of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the overall dispenser according tothe invention.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view during its use in the aquarium.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The CO₂ dispenser according to the invention, indicated in general withthe reference number 10, substantially consists of a dispenser casing 11or body, connected to a water pump 12 which is in turn fitted with asponge prefilter.

According toga preferred embodiment, the dispenser body 11 is made fromtransparent plastic and is equipped with an inner filtering element 13,which can consist of a sponge with a consistency of around 20 ppi, thissponge occupying approximately all the lower half ,of the dispenserbody, in an area opposite to where the pump 12 is fitted.

It is also possible to use any kind of filtering element which is ableto retain the microbubbles and allow only the water in which the CO₂ isdissolved to pass through.

The end of the dispenser 11, that is to say the exterior of the partcontaining the filtering element 13, can be fitted with a mesh cover 14.

The dispenser 11 is also equipped with a mixing chamber 15 between thesponge 13 and the area where the pump 12 is fitted.

The flow delivered by the pump 12 enters an inlet duct 16 positionedhorizontally.

The upper part of the dispenser body 11 is fitted with the CO₂ injector17, which emits quantities of carbon in the gaseous state, that is tosay carbon dioxide from a duct 18 connected to a supply cylinder orother source.

It can be noted that the flow of water delivered through the inlet duct16, positioned horizontally inside the chamber 15, is substantially atright angles to the CO₂ injector 17 which is instead positionedvertically, with the gas output area close to the water output area.

The flow of water from the pump 12 is therefore mixed with the flow ofgas delivered by the injector 17, since the water and gas meet at rightangles to each other at the start of the mixing chamber 15.

Thanks to the flow of water from the pump 12 striking the output of thegas 17, the bubbles of CO₂ are broken up into lots of microbubbles.

A turbulent movement is in fact created inside the dispenser chamber 15,causing the formation of microbubbles which are retained inside thedispenser by the sponge 13.

In this way, the entire CO₂ bubble is completely dissolved in the water,becoming an integral part of it.

Moreover, thanks to the flow created by the pump 12, a continuous cycleof CO₂-poor water is established. This enters the dispenser 11 (arrow AFIG. 1) and CO₂-rich water exits through the mesh cover 14 (arrow B FIG.1), thus ensuring a uniform concentration of carbon dioxide in the tank,avoiding the presence of CO₂ saturated and unsaturated, areas in theaquarium.

The CO₂ distribution system described above presents numerous importantadvantages compared to traditional dispensers.

Above all, the dispenser is particularly efficient as the carbon dioxideis dissolved 100%.

There is also a totally uniform concentration of carbon dioxide in thetank due to the absence of CO₂ saturation in individual parts of theaquarium.

Other advantages concern the possibility of easy and fast installationof the dispenser and its universality and versatility, due to the factthat it can be used with any CO₂ distribution system such as cylinders,fermentation, etc.

Finally, the system does not require the “activation time” oftraditional dispensers, since in the dispenser according to theinvention the microbubbles are distributed and mixed in the water rightfrom the start. The particles of carbon are thus dispensed directly inthe microbubbles, with all the consequent advantages for plant andanimal vitality in the aquarium.

The invention is described above with reference to a preferredembodiment. It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptibleto numerous variations that lie within its scope, in the framework oftechnical equivalents.

1. A device for dispensing CO₂, that is to say carbon or carbon dioxide,which can be fitted in aquariums or containers for holding live fish,this device consisting of a dispenser casing or body, wherein thedispenser body is equipped with a mixing chamber into which a flow ofwater is delivered by a pump sand a flow of CO₂ from an infeed duct; themixing chamber being bordered by at least one filtering element whichoccupies the lower half of the dispenser body, which can also be closedby a mesh cover.
 2. The device for dispensing CO₂ of claim 1, whereinthe filtering element comprises a sponge with a consistency of around 20ppi, this sponge occupying approximately all the lower half of thedispenser body, in a part opposite the area where the pump is fitted. 3.The device for dispensing CO₂ of claim 1, wherein the filtering elementcomprises any material of any kind and density which is able to retainthe microbubbles and allow only the water in which the CO₂ is dissolvedto pass through.
 4. The device for dispensing CO₂ of claim 1, whereinsaid flow of water delivered by the pump through the inlet duct, placedin a substantially horizontal position inside the mixing chamber, issubstantially at right angles to the CO₂ injector which is, instead,arranged vertically with the gas delivery zone positioned incorrespondence with the water output zone.
 5. The device for dispensingCO₂ of claim 1, wherein said flow of water delivered by the pump (12) ismixed with the flow of gas delivered by the injector, since the waterand gas meet at right angles to each other at the start of the mixingchamber.
 6. The device for dispensing CO₂ of claim 1, wherein inside themixing chamber the pump creates a turbulent movement causing theformation of microbubbles of CO₂, which are retained inside thedispenser by the sponge and then distributed in the water, mixingperfectly with it.
 7. The device for dispensing CO₂ of claim 1, whereinsaid flow created by the pump establishes a continuous cycle of CO₂-poorwater (A) which enters the dispenser, and CO₂-rich water (B) which exitsfrom the opposite end through the mesh cover, thus ensuring a uniformconcentration of carbon dioxide in the tank.